Iceland's Orka plant is the world's largest plant that captures carbon directly from the air. It is located on a barren plateau in southwestern Iceland. The main body consists of four groups of huge rectangular boxes, each group consisting of two boxes arranged one above the other. Each box is about the size of a large standard container, about 12 meters long, and has 12 fans embedded in it. The fans capture carbon dioxide from the air into a sponge-like filter, which is heated to a temperature equivalent to that of boiling water, thereby releasing the carbon dioxide gas. This high-concentration carbon dioxide is mixed with water and pumped into the depths of a basalt cave about 1,000 meters underground, where it gradually cools and slowly turns into dark gray stone over time. According to the design, the plant can capture 4,000 tons of carbon dioxide from the air each year, which is equivalent to the annual emissions of about 800 fuel-powered cars.
NEWTEK plans to build two such plants by 2028. At present, we have several carbon dioxide capture plants of different sizes in operation around the world.
Working principle and process
Carbon dioxide capture
Capture from industrial waste gas: For large industrial emitters such as power plants, cement plants, and steel plants, the waste gas they emit contains a high concentration of carbon dioxide. Taking power plants as an example, the flue gas emitted after combustion that meets national environmental protection standards contains 10% to 15% carbon dioxide. During the capture process, the flue gas will first enter the water scrubber through the induced draft fan to cool it down while removing impurities such as sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, and dust. At this time, more than 90% of the carbon dioxide in the flue gas will be absorbed by the amine solution, and the remaining gas will meet the emission standards and return to the main chimney through the flue to be discharged into the atmosphere. The amine solution that absorbs carbon dioxide undergoes a series of chemical reactions and decomposes into carbon dioxide with a purity of more than 99% and lean amine liquid. The former is transported to the subsequent treatment system through stainless steel pipes, and the latter returns to the top of the absorption tower to wait for the next round of operations.
Capture directly from the air: Factories that capture carbon dioxide directly from the air, such as the Oka plant, use fans to inhale air and pass the air through special sponge filters, where carbon dioxide is adsorbed by the filters. The filter is then heated to release the carbon dioxide, resulting in a high concentration of carbon dioxide gas.
Processing and purification: The initially captured carbon dioxide may contain other impurities and require further processing and purification. Common methods include physical adsorption, chemical absorption, membrane separation and other technologies. Through these technologies, the purity of carbon dioxide can be increased to more than 99% to meet the needs of different application scenarios. For example, in some applications that require food-grade carbon dioxide, the purity requirements are more stringent.
Storage or conversion utilization
Storage: The purified carbon dioxide can be compressed into a liquid state and then transported to a suitable location for underground storage. Usually, areas with stable geological structures, such as underground salt layers, abandoned oil fields or natural gas fields, are selected to inject carbon dioxide deep underground so that it can be stored underground for a long time to avoid being discharged into the atmosphere.
Conversion utilization: Carbon dioxide has a wide range of applications and can be used as an industrial raw material to participate in a variety of chemical reactions. For example, carbon dioxide can react with hydrogen to produce green methanol, which is used to make lithium battery electrolyte solvents, photovoltaic film materials, etc.; it can also be used to produce urea, make degradable plastics, and add food-grade edible carbon dioxide to beverages such as cola, sparkling water, and beer; in the agricultural field, it can be used as gas fertilizer to promote plant growth; in the field of fire fighting, carbon dioxide is a commonly used fire extinguishing agent, etc.
Technical advantages
Reducing carbon emissions: The most significant advantage of the carbon dioxide capture plant is that it can effectively reduce carbon dioxide emissions, which is of great significance for alleviating global climate change. Whether it is captured from industrial waste gas or directly from the air, it can reduce the content of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and help achieve global carbon reduction goals.
Resource reuse: Carbon dioxide, which was originally regarded as waste gas, is recycled and reused to achieve the recycling of resources. By converting it into valuable products, it not only reduces the negative impact on the environment, but also creates economic value. For example, the green methanol produced can be used in the field of new energy materials, and food-grade carbon dioxide can be used in the beverage industry, etc.
Environmentally friendly and sustainable: The operation of the plant helps to promote industrial production in a more environmentally friendly and sustainable direction. By adopting advanced technologies and processes, we have reduced environmental pollution, provided a model of green development for other industries, and promoted the green transformation of the entire industrial chain.
5 questions and answers that buyers are most concerned about
What is the purity of carbon dioxide?
Answer: Our factory uses advanced processing and purification technologies, and the purity of carbon dioxide can usually reach more than 99%. For some specific application scenarios, such as the production of food-grade carbon dioxide, we can meet more stringent purity requirements and ensure that the product meets relevant standards.
What is the supply capacity of carbon dioxide?
Answer: The carbon dioxide supply capacity of the factory depends on different production scales. Taking a large carbon dioxide capture plant as an example, hundreds of thousands of tons of carbon dioxide can be captured each year. We will arrange production and supply plans reasonably according to the needs of buyers to ensure that the purchaser's usage needs can be met stably and continuously.
What is the price of carbon dioxide?
Answer: The price of carbon dioxide is affected by many factors, including production costs, market supply and demand, transportation distance, etc. At present, due to technology and scale, the cost is relatively high, but with the continuous advancement of technology and the emergence of economies of scale, the price is expected to gradually decrease. We will provide buyers with reasonable quotation plans based on specific purchase volume, purchase cycle and other factors.
How to ensure transportation and storage?
Answer: In terms of transportation, we cooperate with professional transportation companies and use special carbon dioxide transportation equipment to ensure the safety and quality of carbon dioxide during transportation. For storage, we have advanced storage facilities that can compress carbon dioxide into liquid for storage, and have a complete safety management system to ensure the stability and reliability of the storage link. At the same time, we can also provide relevant transportation and storage suggestions according to the requirements of buyers.
What is the technical stability and reliability of the factory?
Answer: Our factory uses mature and advanced carbon dioxide capture technology, which has been verified by long-term practice. The factory has a professional technical team responsible for equipment maintenance, technology upgrades and optimization, to ensure the stability and reliability of the entire production process. At the same time, we have also established a complete quality control system to strictly monitor every link of production to ensure product quality and supply stability.
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